Leaving the floor to the 'invisibles'. Barriers and resources for highly-skilled migrant women with a STEM background in Italy

In spite of increasing numbers of vacancies for highly skilled jobs in innovative sectors of the economy, the migration patterns in Italy do not seem to provide an answer to these labor market requests. In fact, while an increasing number of young talents leave the country, the highlyskilled migrants that arrive are often discriminated against their qualifications. These patterns are even stronger for highly skilled migrant women, in particular those with a STEM profile. As testified by previous literature, much of their talent is wasted due to macro-, organizational- , and individual-level barriers that prevent highly skilled migrant women finding a job that is up to their qualification level and sector. Adopting an intersectionality approach, in this work we illuminate the employability barriers that these women face in the STEM job market in Italy and the resources available to them. We draw on extensive qualitative data gained from indepth interviews and focus groups with women from different countries and STEM qualifications. By highlighting the complexities of being a woman, a migrant, and a STEM professional, we identify relevant areas for policy intervention to valorize migration in support of innovation and labor outcomes in Italy and in other countries.